Cigarette smoking, obesity and low levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol are just some of the common contributors to one of the world’s biggest killers – heart disease. So when it comes to matters of the heart, we all should take notice of how our choices impact our ticker’s performance. Understanding resting heart rate is a smart start. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the typical adult heart should beat about 60 to 80 times a minute when we’re at rest. This resting rate tends to rise with age and is generally lower, like 50 to 60 bpm, in physically fit people or even less in elite athletes. Our heart rate tells a tale about our overall health as well as maps the body’s reaction to physical activity so we can set parameters for our training heart rate zones. The experts at Life Fitness offer these suggestions for building a healthier, happier heart.

Get Data: Measure resting heart rate by counting beats in the morning after a good night’s sleep. According to the AHA, the simplest way to determine your theoretical maximum heart rate for exercise is 220 minus age with the ideal training range settling in at 60 to 80 percent of the body’s max. A smart fitness gauge is to watch how quickly the body recovers as a healthy heart should fall more than 30 bpm after a minute of rest after exercise.

Exercise: Almost any combination of exercise like running, walking, biking or strength training benefits the ticker as long as the heart rate rises and remains in an individual’s ideal training zone. The trick is to monitor that rate to ensure the heart isn’t working too much or too little. Most cardio equipment offers contact heart rate sensors and Life Fitness equipment can read heart rate devices to provide this information.

Relax: Studies have shown that high levels of stress contribute to high blood pressure, overeating, lack of exercise and other unhealthy lifestyle factors that impact the health of our hearts. Take control with stress-busting behaviors like plenty of sleep, regular exercise and healthy hobbies that relax the mind and body.

Fit Tips are provided by Life Fitness, a leader in designing and manufacturing high-quality exercise equipment for fitness facilities and homes worldwide. For more information on Fit Tips and other fitness advice and expertise visitwww.lifefitness.com.